DC Comics has announced plans to bring Batwoman back to life as a lesbian superhero.

The character, not to be confused with her feline counterpart, was first introduced in 1956 and killed off in 1979. She’ll retain her original alter ego, Kathy Kane.

“This is not just about having a gay character,” DC vice-president and executive editor Dan DiDio told the Associated Press. “We’re trying for overall diversity in the DC universe. We have strong African-American, Hispanic and Asian characters. We’re trying to get a better cross-section of our readership and the world.”

Batwoman will appear in DC’s weekly 52-comicbook series beginning in July. The red-headed heroine will be written as a member of Gotham’s elite, with ties to Batman alter ego Bruce Wayne.